Lyssavirus Antibody Detection in Cave-Dwelling Bats on Cat Ba Island, Vietnam: Implications for Zoonotic Surveillance
Southeast Asia is a biodiversity hotspot for bats that can carry lyssaviruses, causing zoonotic diseases. This study detects and quantifies IgG antibodies against <i>Lyssavirus</i> glycoproteins in cave-dwelling bat populations on Cat Ba Island, northern Vietnam, to determine their past...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Veterinary Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/7/654 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849713180861792256 |
|---|---|
| author | Heliana Dundarova Tsenka Chassovnikarova Nadezhda Todorova Michaela Beltcheva Iliana Aleksieva Nguyen Thanh Luong Vu Dinh Thong |
| author_facet | Heliana Dundarova Tsenka Chassovnikarova Nadezhda Todorova Michaela Beltcheva Iliana Aleksieva Nguyen Thanh Luong Vu Dinh Thong |
| author_sort | Heliana Dundarova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Southeast Asia is a biodiversity hotspot for bats that can carry lyssaviruses, causing zoonotic diseases. This study detects and quantifies IgG antibodies against <i>Lyssavirus</i> glycoproteins in cave-dwelling bat populations on Cat Ba Island, northern Vietnam, to determine their past exposure history and the prevalence of immune responses. Samples were collected from five caves, encompassing three families and five key species (<i>Hipposideros armiger</i>, <i>H. alongensis</i>, <i>H. poutensis</i>, <i>Taphozous melanopogon</i>, and <i>Myotis pilosus</i>). Using ELISA with the Platelia™ Rabies II kit,(Bio-Rad Laboratories, Marnes-la-Coquette, France) 29.0% (18/62) of the bats tested positive, indicating prior exposure. The detection rate was slightly higher in females (35.7%) than in males (30.4%). <i>Lyssavirus</i>-specific antibodies were detected in four species, with the highest levels found in <i>M. pilosus</i>, followed by <i>H. alongensis</i>, <i>H. armiger</i>, and <i>H. poutensis;</i> no positives were found in <i>T. melanopogon</i> samples. One bat exhibited high seroconversion value (>4 EU/mL). The findings provide serological evidence of widespread lyssaviruses exposure in asymptomatic bats on Cat Ba Island, confirming their role as reservoirs that elicit an immune response without exhibiting rabies symptoms. This highlights the role of caves in facilitating close contact among bats, which may increase viral transmission, highlighting the need for continued surveillance in these unique roosting environments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dc3075e2fc88465fa547a860cc6f43e6 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2306-7381 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-dc3075e2fc88465fa547a860cc6f43e62025-08-20T03:14:01ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812025-07-0112765410.3390/vetsci12070654Lyssavirus Antibody Detection in Cave-Dwelling Bats on Cat Ba Island, Vietnam: Implications for Zoonotic SurveillanceHeliana Dundarova0Tsenka Chassovnikarova1Nadezhda Todorova2Michaela Beltcheva3Iliana Aleksieva4Nguyen Thanh Luong5Vu Dinh Thong6Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel, 1000 Sofia, BulgariaInstitute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel, 1000 Sofia, BulgariaInstitute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel, 1000 Sofia, BulgariaInstitute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel, 1000 Sofia, BulgariaInstitute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel, 1000 Sofia, BulgariaInstitute of Biology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Nghia Do Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi 10072, VietnamInstitute of Biology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Nghia Do Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi 10072, VietnamSoutheast Asia is a biodiversity hotspot for bats that can carry lyssaviruses, causing zoonotic diseases. This study detects and quantifies IgG antibodies against <i>Lyssavirus</i> glycoproteins in cave-dwelling bat populations on Cat Ba Island, northern Vietnam, to determine their past exposure history and the prevalence of immune responses. Samples were collected from five caves, encompassing three families and five key species (<i>Hipposideros armiger</i>, <i>H. alongensis</i>, <i>H. poutensis</i>, <i>Taphozous melanopogon</i>, and <i>Myotis pilosus</i>). Using ELISA with the Platelia™ Rabies II kit,(Bio-Rad Laboratories, Marnes-la-Coquette, France) 29.0% (18/62) of the bats tested positive, indicating prior exposure. The detection rate was slightly higher in females (35.7%) than in males (30.4%). <i>Lyssavirus</i>-specific antibodies were detected in four species, with the highest levels found in <i>M. pilosus</i>, followed by <i>H. alongensis</i>, <i>H. armiger</i>, and <i>H. poutensis;</i> no positives were found in <i>T. melanopogon</i> samples. One bat exhibited high seroconversion value (>4 EU/mL). The findings provide serological evidence of widespread lyssaviruses exposure in asymptomatic bats on Cat Ba Island, confirming their role as reservoirs that elicit an immune response without exhibiting rabies symptoms. This highlights the role of caves in facilitating close contact among bats, which may increase viral transmission, highlighting the need for continued surveillance in these unique roosting environments.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/7/654Lyssavirus prevalenceChiropteraunderground sites |
| spellingShingle | Heliana Dundarova Tsenka Chassovnikarova Nadezhda Todorova Michaela Beltcheva Iliana Aleksieva Nguyen Thanh Luong Vu Dinh Thong Lyssavirus Antibody Detection in Cave-Dwelling Bats on Cat Ba Island, Vietnam: Implications for Zoonotic Surveillance Veterinary Sciences Lyssavirus prevalence Chiroptera underground sites |
| title | Lyssavirus Antibody Detection in Cave-Dwelling Bats on Cat Ba Island, Vietnam: Implications for Zoonotic Surveillance |
| title_full | Lyssavirus Antibody Detection in Cave-Dwelling Bats on Cat Ba Island, Vietnam: Implications for Zoonotic Surveillance |
| title_fullStr | Lyssavirus Antibody Detection in Cave-Dwelling Bats on Cat Ba Island, Vietnam: Implications for Zoonotic Surveillance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lyssavirus Antibody Detection in Cave-Dwelling Bats on Cat Ba Island, Vietnam: Implications for Zoonotic Surveillance |
| title_short | Lyssavirus Antibody Detection in Cave-Dwelling Bats on Cat Ba Island, Vietnam: Implications for Zoonotic Surveillance |
| title_sort | lyssavirus antibody detection in cave dwelling bats on cat ba island vietnam implications for zoonotic surveillance |
| topic | Lyssavirus prevalence Chiroptera underground sites |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/7/654 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT helianadundarova lyssavirusantibodydetectionincavedwellingbatsoncatbaislandvietnamimplicationsforzoonoticsurveillance AT tsenkachassovnikarova lyssavirusantibodydetectionincavedwellingbatsoncatbaislandvietnamimplicationsforzoonoticsurveillance AT nadezhdatodorova lyssavirusantibodydetectionincavedwellingbatsoncatbaislandvietnamimplicationsforzoonoticsurveillance AT michaelabeltcheva lyssavirusantibodydetectionincavedwellingbatsoncatbaislandvietnamimplicationsforzoonoticsurveillance AT ilianaaleksieva lyssavirusantibodydetectionincavedwellingbatsoncatbaislandvietnamimplicationsforzoonoticsurveillance AT nguyenthanhluong lyssavirusantibodydetectionincavedwellingbatsoncatbaislandvietnamimplicationsforzoonoticsurveillance AT vudinhthong lyssavirusantibodydetectionincavedwellingbatsoncatbaislandvietnamimplicationsforzoonoticsurveillance |